Milking machine



May 19, 1925.

H. C. ODEN MILKING MACHINE Original Filed March 10, 1921 3 eetshe l- HENRY CLYDE ODEN IN V EN TORI ATTORNEY. 1

Ma 19, 1925. 1,538,736 H. C. ODEN MILKING MACHINE Original Filed March 10, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HENRY 60 05 000v INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 19, 1925. 1,538,736

H. C. ODEN MILKING MACHINE Original Filed March 10, 1921 3 SheetS-Shet :5

HENRY CLYDE ODEN INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 19, 1925 UNITED STATES 1,538,736 PATENT iQFFICE.

HENRY CLYDE ODEN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO ASSIGNOR T0 PINE TREE MILKING 1VIA- CHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MILKING MACHINE.

Original application filed March 10, 1921, Serial No. 451,252. Divided and this application filed September 6, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CLYDE ODEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, Ohio, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Milking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to milking machines and aims to provide a milking machine whose essential parts are so constructed as to reduce the cost of manufacture to a minimum. and to eliminate many difficulties hitherto attendant upon the practical application and operation of the various parts. It comprises a number of features which result in compactness and yet which lower the cost of manufacture and facilitate the various operations which are necessary to" place and maintain a milking machine iii practical use from day to day.

One of the features of my novel milking machine is that it is provided with a novel form of oscillating valve for controlling the operation of the pulsator. This oscillating valve is of such a structure that'it is not carried by any element but merely lays on its seat and is designed to swing about a post passing through it adjacent. its rear end. The valve will be held to its seat by vacuum but is moved to alternate positions by means of a trip arm which is so mounted that it will be balanced against all tendency to exert pressure downwardly upon the oscillating valve. As a matter of fact, the structure is such that the valve will be oscillated and will be entirely free from any pressure whatsoever excepting such as may be necessary to effect the oscillation, the result being that a uniform and even contact is maintained between the valve and its seat. 7

Another highly advantageous feature of my invention arises from the provision of aslidable and rotatable valve for controlling the application of vacuum to effect the pulsations of the teat cups. The result of this slidable and rotatable valve construction is that any dirt creeping into thespace'between the valve and its seat will be autos matically eliminated by the centrifugal action of the valve when it strikes such a particle of dirt and in consequence thereof is given a rotation upon its seat.

A further feature of my apparatus has Serial No. teases.

to dowith the provision of a novel form 'of locking collar construction for effecting an air-tight connection between the pulsator and the top of the pailon which the pulsator is mounted. In my construction of milking machine, the milk pail coveris provided with an aperture upon which is superimposed an open-bottomed chamber carried by the pulsator element and designedto retain a ball check valve which normallv rests upon this aperture and controls this same. I have provided a quick detachable connection between this chamber element and the pail cover in the form of a collar which, upon rotation, simultaneously locks the pulsator member to the pail cover and draws the same into air-tightv'relation thereto. r Y

There is a still further feature that is highly advantageous and that arises from the provision of a hollow screw construction whereby the vacuum is applied to both ends of the pulsator. This construction is such that the opposed cylinders of the'pulsator may be each made from one piece with a consequently great saving in labor and cost of production and with a greatly increased longevity as well as a minimum cost of repair. i

Other'features of advantage will appear as this description progresses.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partially in section,'of what I have termed my pulsator ele ment, with the cover removed.

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Figure L'with the exception that it shows the cover plate in position.

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Figure 1.,

Figure 5 is a plan view of my pail cover showing the locking collar mounted thereon and the pulsator element removed.

Figure 6 is atransverse section of my pail cover and showing the locking collar clamping the chamber element of the pulsator member in air-tight relation to the cover.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view showing the chamber element of the pulsator member together with the locking flanges and the stop pin carried thereby.

In the drawings, the pulsator is shown as comprising a pulsator block 1 with a main vacuumpassage 2 extending through a nipple 3 and leading into a main vacuum chamber a which is designed to house a ball check valve 5, as in Figure 6. Leading ofi from the chamber .4 is a branch vacuum passage 6 that is alternately placed in connection with passages 7 and 8 which respectively lead to conduits 9 and 10 communicating with the pulsating chambers of teat cups not shown. This alternate connection of the passages 7 and8- with the passage 6 is effected by a circular slide valve 11 that is so mounted and so connected to an impelling means that in the event of any dirt or extraneous material creeping in between the valve and its seat, this valve will be capable of sufficient rotation during the course of its movement to expel this dirt or extraneous material by a centrifugal action.

Leading from the main vacuum passage 2 there is also provided a branch vacuum conduit 12 which is under the control of a needle valve 13 threaded as at 14 and having a knurled head 15. In between the knurled head and the pulsator block is a washer 16 against which bears a coilspring 17 that bears at its opposite end against the knurled'head 15. This spring effects a looking action upon the needle valve so that it will remain in any position to which it is adjusted.

The conduit 12 is alternately connected with passages 18 and'19 by means of a valve 20 which is mounted upon and'designed to swing about a post 21. These passages 18 and 19 respectively lead to the opposite end of the pulsator cylinders by hollow screws and the housings therefor which will be subsequently described.

The cylinders of the pulsator are of an extremely simple construction because they are each made from a single piece of material. In the drawings, they are designated 22 and 23. Each cylinder is held to the pulsator block on one side by a threaded bolt 24 and. on the other side by a hollow screw 25.

V The threaded bolts 2% pass through integral flanges 26. O'per-ating'within each cylinder is a. piston head 27 and these piston heads are connected together by a lock rod 2.8.

The extremely simple construction described is made possible by the provision of the hollow screws which are threaded at 29 and provided with passages 30 and 31 that communicate with the passages 18 and 19.. The threads 29 of the hollow screw are designed to screw into theinternally threaded sockets 32 of the pulsator 'block and since these sockets 32 are intercepted by the passages 18 and 19, the hollow screws serve to assist in holding the cylinders 22 and 23 in position and to provide ameans of com munication of the passages 18 and 19 to the cylinder interior. This communication is rendered complete by the fact. that the bores through which the hollow screws extend are of a larger diameter than the shanks of the screws and communicate adjacent their outermost ends with the cylinder interiors by means of passages 33. It will be appar ent that the vacuum thus becomes effective v upon the pulsator pistons by way of the passages 18 or 19, passages through the screws which are designated 30 and 31, the bores which may be designated 34: and-the ports 33 leading into each cylinder adjacent its end.

The oscillating valve 20 is provided with an upstanding pin 35 upon its upper surface and this upstanding pin fits very loosely into an aperture 36 in a trip arm 37 that is likewise mounted upon the post 21. These members 21 and 37 are held in position upon this post 21 by means of a washer 38 and a nut 39. The trip arm 37 extends rearwardly beyond the post and carries an upstanding pin 40 having an annular groove adjacent its upper end for the reception. of one end of a coil spring 11. The forward end of the trip arm overlaps a bearing plate on the lock rod, this hearing plate desirably forming a part of such lock rod and being designated 42. Atthis point it may be well to state that the coil spring 11, in addition to its regular function, has a tendency to lift the rear end of the trip arm and thus )revent binding of this: arm. upon the oscillating valve 20. In conjunction with this, the. bearing plate 42 supports the forward end of [the trip arm and ensures that this forward end will exert no downward pres sure upon the oscillating valve 20. The combined result of this construction is that the oscillating VitlVQ is rendered absolutely free of any pressure either downward or upward and the vacuum is freely effective to hold the valve in even position upon its seat.

The forward end of the trip arm is of angular form as shown at 13 in Figure 1 and this angular end cooperates with the locking piece 4 1. Mounted uponv the locking piece is a pulsation valve aran 4C5 held in place by screws 46 and having a rear extension 17 carrying a pin -48. This pin 48 has an annular groove adjacent its upper end in which fits the forward end of the spring 41. In operation, the movement of the piston element and the locking rod into a new position will cause a gradual tensioning of the spring 41 but the trip arm will be held in the same position by means of the lock 14 until the spring passes center. Immediately after this spring passes center, the trip arm snaps over into its new position.

The forward end of the pulsation valve arm has a shank 49 and a slotted head 50.

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Into the slot of this head extends an upstanding pin 51 centrally mounted on the valve 11. The obvious result is that as the piston moves away from the position it is in toward its opposite position it brings about both an oscillation of the valve 20 and a sliding movement of the valve ll for the purpose of connecting the various passages in the manner already indicated, It will be noted that the slot in the head 50 permits of a certain amount of lost motion and it also facilitates the rotation of the valve 11 whenever this becoi'nes necessary.

The pulsator member is desirably provided with a cover plate 52 that its over and protects the valve structure from dirt or extraneous material of any kind. The forward end of this cover plate is provided with bifurcate lugs (not shown) which fit over and are clamped in place by screw bolts 53.

The manner of attaching the pulsator to the pail cover is shown best in Figures 5, 6 and 7 and consists in providing the lower end of the chamber at with an exterior flange 54L thatis cut away at 55 and 56. There is also mounted in this flange a vertical stop pin 57. Extending upwardly from the pail cover and in concentric relation to the aperture 58 therein is an externally threaded wall 59 of circular form and carrying upstanding shoulders 60 and 61 which are designed to fit into the cutaway portions 55 and 56 of the flange member 54. There is also provided acollar 62 having a handle 63 extending radially therefrom and provided with internal screw threads for coaotion with the screw threads 59. This collar is also pro ided with inwardly projecting lugs 6-1 and 65 which are designed to pass through the cutaway portions 55 and 56 so that upon rotation of the collar the pulsator member will be locked to the pail cover. In opera tion, the ring is placed in position and par tially screwed down upon the threads of the wall 59 and then the inwardly extending lugs G l and 65 are caused to register with the lugs 60 and 61 upon this upstanding wall 59. Then the pulsator element is placed in position so that the lugs 60 and 61 and the lugs 6a and 65 will puss upwardly through the cutaway portions 55 and 56 of the flange 54. As soon as: this is effected,a rotation of the collar 62 will simultaneously lock the pulsator to the lid and draw the lower end of the chan'iber 4: into air-tight relation with the valve seat. The pin 57 provides a stop for determining the proper position of the collar when the pulsator is to be applied to the pull lid and after the pulsator is applied, this pin ensures that the rotation of the collar will be in the pro-per direction to bring about a locking of the pulsator into airtight relation to the pail lid.

It is important to note that in the structure of milking machine described herein, the removal of the pulsator from the lid is effected by the simplest possible operation and that the operation of removing the pulsator from the lid immediately exposes the cheek valvean-d the interior or itshousing for the purpose of cleansing, this exposure of the check valve and the housing parts being brought about absolutely without the necessity for any other operation than the mere removal of the pulsator from the pail lid. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a milking machine, a valve structure comprising a valve held to its seat by vacuum, and an operating arm supported at its front and rear by means independent of said valve and positioned above the valve seat.

' 2. In a milking machine, a pivoted valve structure comprising a valve held to its seat by vacuum, an operating arm mounted upon the valve pivot and a supporting shelf in front of said valve upon which said operating arm bears to prevent the application of pressure by said operating arm on said valve.

3. In a milking machine, a valve structure con'iprising a valve held to its seat by vacuum, an operating arm for said valve, a shelf forming a bearing for the front end of said operating arm and means exerting a lifting tendency upon the rear end of said operating arm. 1

4:- In a milking machine, a valve structure comprising a valve held to its seat by vacuum, an operating arm, a shelf serving as a bearing for the forward end-of said op erating arm and means of a resilient nature for exerting a lifting tendency upon the rear end of said operating arm.

5. In a milking machine, a valve structure comprising a valve held to its seat by vacuum, an operating arm for said valve, a pin on the top of said valve extending loosely into an aperture in said operating arm, and means for preventing downward movement of either end ofsaid operating arm.

6. In a milking machine, a valve structure comprising a valve held to its seat by vacuum, a trip arm for moving said valve into alternative positions, a lock rod, a supporting shelf for the front end of said trip arm, and a coil spring for moving said trip arm when it passes center, said coil spring being so connected to the rear end of said trip arm that it will apply a lifting tension thereto.

'7. In a milking machine, a valve structure lock rod carrying said supporting-shelf.

9.'ln .a milking machine, a valve structure comprising a slidable rotatable valve and means contacting only with the upper surface of said valve for actuating same.-

10. In a milking-machine, a valve structure comprising a valve capable of: alternately; connecting either two of three passages, means upon the upper surface of said' valve. by which-said valve is actuated, a

valve seat provided with three passages therein, said Waive being rotatable but being of such a construction'th'at regardless of the position to which it is rotated 1t Wlll always. be capable of bridging any two adjacent passages.

11. In a mlllnng'machine, a valve construction comprising two slidable valves, re-

ciprocating piston heads and a connecting rod 'theret'or, a memberconnect'e'd to the rod which connects the reciprocatmg piston heads for directly operating one of said.

valves, a trip. arm for operating the other of said valves, and a tension spring 'connected to saidmember which operates said first valve.

lQaln'a milking'machi-ne, a lid having air-opening. therein, a pulsator element having an-open-bottomed vacuum chamber-for superimposition upon and'enclosure of the opening in said lid, a flange on said vacuum chambe *4 and provided with cutaway portions therein anda ring on said lid having lugs designed to pass througflrthe cutaway portions of said flange and to -hold the pulsatorelement to the lid byrelative rotation of said pulsator element andi' said ring,

13. Ina milking'machine, a pail lid, a' p ulsator element, a flange on said pulsator element with cutaway portions therein, ring on said lid, lugs on said ring for passing through said cutaway portions, and means whereby the rotation of said ring into lockingi'rela'tion with said flange will automaticallydraw said pulsator firmly into contact with said pail lid.

14', In a milking machine, a pail lid, a p-ulsato-r, a threaded ring rigidlymounted on said pail lid, a complementally threaded ring mounted on said first threaded ring, lugs on said second ring, a circular base memberion said pulsator, afiangeon said circularibase member-and having cutaway portions throughwhich saidnlugs are designed to pass,said'structure being such Zthat after 1 said. lugs have passed throu'glrth'e cutaway;

portions of said circular members, rotation of said -second ring: will lock sai d pulsatoi to said lid and draw-ittlghtly down 'thereoni 15. In a milking machine, a pail lid, a

131118311013 3, threaded ring; rigidly mounted on said plail lid, said lid having an opening therethrough within said. threaded ring, a

complementally threaded'ring mounted on said first threaded-"rmg, lugs on said-second ring, an open-bottom-vacuum chamber: designed to fit conce1'itr1call-y; on said first ring and enclose the opening'in said lid," a flange cable member for operatingone valve and controlling the operation of the other valve and means connecting-the members for operating said valves.

17 In a-milking machine, a-slidable valve, a slidable rotatable valve and means of a resilient natureior directlyconnectingthe members for operating said'valves.

18; In a. milking machine, a-valve' construc tion comprising two' slidable Va'lves,-re'cipr0 eating piston heads, a member connected to the rod which connects-the reciprocating piston heads forf'operating one of said valves, a trip arm "foroperating the other of sald valves, and a tension spring connected" to said member'and said trip arm.

19; In a m-llklng'machine, a, valve construction comprising two slidable valves,-

arm members for operating said valves, and resilient means directly connecting said members.

2O. In: amilking machine, a valve construction comprising two slidable valves, arm members for operatingsaid valves, and means directly connecting said members whereby operation of one valve "will operate the other: l

21; In -a milking machine, a' valve construction' comprising two slidable valves and reciprocatory and oscillatory arm members for operating said valves and resilient means connecting said members Signedat Columbus, Ohio, this 3rd day of September, 1924.

HENRY CLYDE onn v. 

